Novel Bin Chapter 423 - You're With Me
Angela thought about how weird it was to know someone, and then all of a sudden…they\'re gone forever.
J\'s death made her think about a lot of things. She wondered… What if she hadn\'t left that day? Would the course of Gael and J\'s moment be any different? But it wasn\'t as if they had been cornered and could have done things differently. J went home as he should and died there. What didn\'t sit well with her was the possibility that Gael could have gone up with J and gotten injured, or worse… She didn\'t even want to think about it.
Her dark thoughts about Gael leaving this world came uninvited in her mind, and she shook her head to get rid of them. Just like what he told her, she, too, wouldn\'t survive if that happened to him.
Angela knew that Gael was grieving in his own way. The way he cried silently to her made her want to keep him safe in her arms. If only there was anything she could do to help take away his pain, she wouldn\'t think twice.
She was sitting on the bed while Gael showered in the bathroom. She had wanted to join him, but she had to send out an electronic newsletter to all the readers subscribed to her regarding a sale of her Book Two of the Chasing Series under Love Tales. It was work she couldn\'t delay. The buzzing of her phone snapped her out of her trance. She received a long text message.
[ Good day, Ms. Su. This is James, Manager of Parklane Shores. I called earlier today, but no one answered. I wanted to inform you that we\'ve received a delivery of ten boxes under your name sent by Samantha Cho of Sweet Soul Studio. As per our prior agreement, I\'ve received and signed on your behalf. If it were any other time, we would gladly keep it in storage until you\'re available to pick them up. However, we\'re currently renovating the storage room, and I\'m afraid it will be difficult to keep these here longer without proper security. Would you be able to pick them up before 5 p.m. today? If that\'s not possible, do you give permission to have these sent to your unit? I will personally oversee the transfer. ]
It was almost one in the afternoon. She didn\'t have anything particular planned today unless Gael wanted to do something or go somewhere. But she wanted to take care of the packages herself, so she responded to the manager and told him she would arrive in an hour. The boxes that Samantha forwarded to her were her books that needed to be signed.
When Gael came out of the shower, she told him her plan. Then she quickly showered and changed while he waited for her in the living room. He had changed into a new set of casual clothes that his men brought him. She emerged from the bedroom, wearing a pair of black pants, a black tight top, brown suede ankle boots, and brown peacoat. "Shall we go?" she probed as she walked up to him.
Gael stared at her, looking stunned—not just because she was gorgeous in her casual outfit, but because she was wearing a familiar necklace. "You\'re wearing it… Since when?" he asked, sounding as if he couldn\'t believe it.
Angela knew what he was referring to even without him specifying. She subconsciously touched the winged heart pendant on her chest, and her cheeks flushed.
"Since at the airport after I left your apartment. I was in the restroom rummaging through my purse when I saw it."
"You had it in your purse the whole time?"
She nodded. "I\'ve always carried it with me since you gave it to me…just not worn it. I guess when I left… I thought it felt so lonely without you. So I wore it thinking you were with me even when you were physically not." She bit her bottom lip. "Was that too cheesy?"
Gael shook his head, a satisfied smile ghosting his lips as he leaned in and kissed her ever so softly. "No. It means so much to me. Thank you."
***
They arrived at Angela\'s apartment building. A male porter assigned by the manager helped them move the boxes of books using a platform push cart so they only had to transport it once. The three of them got in the elevator. Angela stayed at the left-most corner of the car with Gael next to her and the porter was on the other side with the push cart in front of him. The door was about to close when someone\'s hand darted in, and the door opened once more.
Mrs. Robinson\'s son hopped in the car, limping on his left leg while supporting his weight with a cane.
Gael sensed Angela stiffen next to him, gripping his hand tight. He remembered who the guy was from that one time they were introduced to each other. Mrs. Robinson\'s son looked at Angela with a blank stare that made Gael uncomfortable. He knew that she didn\'t like this too, so he shifted and angled his body so that he was partially covering her with his body and glared at the guy. The latter only looked at him with boredom before he turned around and faced the door.
The minute that ticked by inside the car felt spooky. It was so quiet, apart from the white noise produced by the elevator. They reached their floor, and Angela shivered when the guy got off. They patiently walked behind him as he limped slowly towards his unit, and when he reached his door, he glanced back at them. The male porter flinched. Once the door closed behind Mrs. Robinson\'s son, they continued down the hall.
"I swear that psycho gives me the creeps. I don\'t know how you could live next to that family," muttered the male porter under his breath.
Angela and Gael exchanged glances but didn\'t say anything. She was afraid that the Robinsons would hear her even if she whispered. She could barely look at her door without remembering the blood smeared on it that night.
Gael entered the code for her and led her inside with the porter behind them. After the boxes had been placed in the dining area, he gave the porter a tip and thanked him for the help.
Once they were alone, he told her, "It\'s okay. You\'re safe here."
"Huh?" Angela looked up in confusion and then followed Gael\'s gaze. That\'s when she realized that she was gripping his hand so tight her knuckles turned white, and her nails dug into his skin. "Oh. I\'m sorry." She released his hand.
He smiled at her and pressed a kiss on her forehead. "Don\'t be sorry. You can hold me anytime you want."
She exhaled a sigh of relief and leaned against him. She didn\'t realize she was too wound up the entire ride and walk to her apartment. "To think I like reading and watching crime, horror, and thriller but real-life freaks me out so much."
Just then, someone knocked on the door. Their heads snapped to the side, their brows raised in bafflement, wondering who it was.
"Hi, Angela," an older woman\'s muffled voice came from the other side of the door. Mrs. Robinson. "I have something for you. I\'m just going to leave it on the floor."
It was quiet for a moment after that, and she thought Mrs. Robinson must have already left. They went to check the door, and on the floor, they found a disposable container with two slices of chocolate cake inside. On top of it was a folded card with a hand-written note.
[ To Angela and Gael.
There are no words to express how deeply sorry and ashamed I am for what happened. I\'m sharing this cake that I baked this morning. I know it is not enough to make you forget but may you find it in your hearts to forgive my family.
Yours truly,
Annie Robinson ]
Angela felt a prick in her heart reading it. She let out a sigh as she stared at the note and the cake. She didn\'t know if there was anything to forgive—it\'s not like Mrs. Robinson shot her. But she was still traumatized from the incident that until now she felt unsafe in her apartment. Angela was only braver to come back because Gael was with her.
She looked up at him until he noticed her staring. He asked, "What is it?"
Shaking her head, Angela pressed herself against him and kissed the side of his neck. "Nothing.. I\'m just glad you\'re here with me."